Challenge to turn India's growth rate to double digits : PM Modi
New Delhi, June 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Indian economy grew at a healthy 7.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017-18 and the challenge now is to turn this to "double digits".
"The challenge now is to take this growth rate to double digits, for which many more important steps have to be taken. The vision of a New India by 2022 is now a resolve of the people of our country," Modi told the fourth meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council.
A broad range of issues will be discussed at the meeting including measures taken to double farmers' income, development of aspirational districts, progress of flagship schemes like Ayushman Bharat, National Nutrition Mission, Mission Indradhanush and the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Governing Council is the premier body tasked with evolving a shared vision of national development priorities, sectors and strategies with the active involvement of states in shaping the development narrative.
It reviews the work done during the previous year and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities.
The Prime Minister welcomed Chief Ministers and other delegates saying the governing council was a platform that can bring about "historic change". The Chief Ministers of Delhi, Odisha, Goa, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura were not present.
He assured that the Centre would provide all the required assistance to flood-hit states.
Modi praised the Chief Ministers for playing a key role in policy formulation, through sub-groups and committees on issues such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Digital Transactions and Skill Development.
Modi announced that 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres are being constructed under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and about 10 crore families will be provided health assurance worth Rs 5 lakh every year.
He added that a comprehensive approach was being adopted for education under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
He said all aspects and parameters of human development needed to be addressed and improved.
"The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan has emerged as a new model for implementation of schemes and this has so far been extended to 45,000 villages."
The target was universal coverage in seven important welfare schemes: Ujjwala, Saubhagya, Ujala, Jan Dhan, Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, Suraksha Bima Yojana and Mission Indradhanush, Modi said.
"India has no shortage of capabilities, capacities and resources and in the current financial year states are receiving over Rs 11 lakh crore from the Centre, which represents an increase of about Rs 6 lakh crore, from the last year of the previous government," Modi said.
This gathering represented the "hopes and aspirations of the people of India" and it was also the responsibility of this gathering to make all efforts to fulfil them, he added.
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Petrol pump worker killed as SUV hits motorcycle head-on in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): A petrol pump worker died after an SUV rammed into his motorcycle in the Sushant Lok area here, police said on Thursday.
The accused driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle after the accident. An FIR has been registered at the Sushant Lok police station, they said.
According to police, the accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when Mukesh was travelling from Sector 44 to Sushant Lok on Vyapar Kendra Road for some work.
Near Vyapar Kendra, a white Thar coming from the wrong side at high speed hit his motorcycle head-on, leaving him critically injured, they said.
The driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind, police added.
Eyewitnesses claimed the vehicle had no number plates either at the front or rear.
Locals took Mukesh to a private hospital, where he died during treatment, police said. He was a resident of Rohta Patti in Palwal and worked at a petrol pump in Sector 44.
An FIR was registered against the unidentified driver, based on a complaint lodged by his brother Ashok. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem on Thursday, police said.
“The Thar vehicle has been seized from the spot. CCTV footage from the area is being examined, and the driver will be arrested soon,” a Gurugram police spokesperson said.
